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HIGH POINT, N.C. -- High Point police are investigating a recent rise in heroin incidents, including five deaths and 21 overdoses suspected to be caused by heroin mixed with a painkiller used in hospitals.

The 21 overdoses have all happened since April 27.

“They look very ill,” said Dr. David Fisher, who works in the emergency room at High Point Regional Hospital. “They look like they're near death.

"All of a sudden you're seeing a whole bunch back to back to back," Fisher said.

Police suspect people have been overdosing on a mix of heroin and a pain killer used in hospitals called Fentanyl.

Police suspect the drug has killed at least five people since March.

"Before it was an addiction problem,” Fisher said. “Now it's a death problem."

Fisher says the drug mixed with the painkiller gives off an effect that's twice as strong.

"They're using more drug than they realize, and they're being found by their friends and family members in a near death state or dead," Fisher said.

"This is a crisis," said Dr. Anthony Steele, director of medical services at Alcohol and Drug Services in High Point.

Steele thinks many who are addicted to painkillers but have been cut off by their doctors are now trying other ways to feed their addiction.

"For these individuals, the next best thing is heroin," he said.

This is a trend he says will only get worse if people don't seek help.

"It doesn't just only affect the individual,” Steele said. “It affects the community at large."

FaithC

FaithC

The Dork, The J*erk, JethRO, Jethro Bodink, Jesus, Bazinga we all know these are all you and we all know you post under my name. You need to get a life.
If the only thing you can do to feel like a powerful man is post under my name, you need help.

this has been going on for about 3 years now since the fda said the gov. will controll pain killers because all the scripts being written. the new law states that if you are on painkillers for more than 90 days you have to go to some type of pain clinic. I know someone who tried to give info to police in hig point several times about this and they did nothing and i meanhard core proof. herion is spreading 400% fast than 3 years ago they, tried to put out the fire by pooring gas on it. At least with pain killers they know down to the T what all was in the drug, now its harder to treat overdoses because it could be anything. Fentanyl usally comes in patch form a 3 day patch so when broke down it doesn’t look like much but you are getting 72 hours worth of meds all at once (on a full patch) and who knows what else is in it little this and little of that. But seeing everyone is turning torwards herion i wonder who is writting the script for Fentanyl, it is the hardest to get of any pain killer and there are not many people in the high point that even have a script for it i would say less than 100 in high point so unless its coming from out of state which probably is it is not easy to get

Sheldon Cooper

Rick

l337g33k

Pain meds are obviously widely abused. Opiates are in pain meds, which is prolly why users transition back and forth between heroin and pain meds.

Heroin is basically morphine when introduced to body. There has been a rash of reported overdoses past few months along the northeast because the heroin is getting cut with fentanyl…a man made opiate like 100x stronger than morphine.

Jameson

I hate to hear this, I fought the battle and won, Going on 3 years, Things are getting worse and if people don’t soo start realizing, they are all going to die, the drug krocodile is also in NC now, So people wil be showing up with big parts of their flesh missing now, They should star giving the drug dealers life when caught, then maybe they will stop selling ths poison to people, charge them with attempted murder and murder if someone actually dies from what they have sold

So happy for anyone who gets clean but let’s be real here. Its not the dealers fault . You know as well as I do when an addict is looking they won’t stop til they find it somewhere. We need more treatment faculities,not jails.

durham

Lisa Bair

For all of you who say just let them die ask yourself this if it was your child,sister,brother or any family member would you still say this? Know one understands what the person maybe dealing with I lost my sister do to and rehab is a joke all they want to do is give methedone or something else they can OD on..But they have to want to change if not then theres nothing anyone can do about it..My heart goes out to all those struggling with addiction and there friends and family.

Derrie

Eva

Where was this “investigation” last Fall when my brother died from “bad Heroine”. People have been dying for a year now. Just because you have five “reported” deaths in short period of time, others of us have to read these articles thinking, ‘it’s about time!’.
Wake up people!
RIP Adam

Angel

YOU being DERRIE seem to Be heartless and uncaring ,Unless you have been in that person’s shoes you do not no what is going on in their life to start with. #2 you mite just have a few in your family or friends that are users that you no nothing about unless you are GOD and knows everything. Oh please don’t tell us that you don’t believe in God either, Weather you do or not we don’t really care. As a person working in health care we see many things I’m glad we treat what comes in that er door as a person and a family member a friend that means the world to them. Have you ever been in pain of any kind? Or needed a Doctor for anything if so why did you need a Doctor why did you bother sounds like you can handle everything by yourself. As far as junkies are concern best I can Remember, I read the newspaper and watch the news almost everyday and it’s not just these people are breaking and entering, Or Raping it is people from all walks of life, our school teacher’s, caught for sexual abuse and I could go on and on but I want and no I’ve never used or abused drugs of any kind unless it was a rx from my personal Doctor. And then it is taken as it’s suppose to be taken. I think people like you need to take a long sitting on the front porch and rethink things about this world we are in no one is immune no not even you. BELEIVE IT OR NOT.